Various dispensers exist for different types of fluids. In particular, there are many dispensers for fluids such as toothpaste. These dispensers generally take complicated forms, which are costly to manufacture and/or difficult to use.
Dispensers also exist for single fluids. One approach taken in the prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,200 which is a valveless dispenser for fluid materials such as toothpaste or cream. This dispenser is in the form of a container having a plunger mounted at its lower end in such a manner that the plunger is capable of movement in only one direction, namely upwardly in the container. The top wall of the container is in the form of a flexible diaphragm to which the dispensing spout is mounted. In order to dispense the material the spout is deflected or tilted from its normal position to distort the diaphragm and thus cause an internal pressure in the container causing the fluid to flow through and out of the spout.
While the arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,200 provides certain advantages it also has limitations. For example, the patented arrangement is capable of dispensing only a single fluid. Additionally, the patented arrangement is specifically a valveless dispenser which in turn leads to the possibility of being ineffective in its operation.
There is a need for a dispenser which could be simple and economical to manufacture and easy to use but which is capable of dispensing more than one fluid. For example, such a dispenser would be desirable for dispensing toothpaste having a major component of one color with a secondary component of another color so that the toothpaste actually being dispensed would be multi-colored.